Nice
airport has a long history with the original aerodrome
established in 1929 and is no France's second most busy
airport.

The
airport is located on the west side of Nice by the sea.
There are spectacular views for landing and take off.
There are two parallel runways. The aircraft take off
from the outer runway (south runway) closer to the sea
and land on the inner runway (north runway). The south
runway is used landings and takeoffs during the night
and the north runway is closed.The airport is open to
air traffic 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, however, only
2% of flights take off or land between 11pm and 6am.

There
are two terminals - Terminal 1 (the original that is on
the east) and Terminal 2. Car rental companies are based
at Terminal 2 although most of them have desks in Terminal
1 arrivals. There is a free and freequent shuttle bus
service between the two terminals. Bus services go from
the airport into Nice or westwards (Cannes direction).
The rail network does not have a station at the airport
and it is difficult to get from the nearest station to
the airport. The Rail - SNCF regional train service operates
from Gare Nice St Augustin, situated 500 metres from Terminal
1 and Gare St Laurent du Var, located 3km from the airport,
serving routes from Cannes to Vintimille.

Niceis has been a popular city for
years. It was popular with British Royalty (Queen Victoria
was a regular visitor to the area (including Menton),
and Winston Churchill enjoyed holidays in the area.

It
has France’s no 2 airport and with the expansion of low
cost air travel from within Europe is the gateway to the
French Riviera.

The
city of Nice extends inland with its pedestrian area featuring
luxury boutiques, Massena gardens with their fountains
and the picturesque old town. Nice stretches the length
of the Baie des Anges, lighting up the whole of the Riviera
with its majesty. When you fly into Nice airport the views
are superb by day or night.

It
is a magnificent city, the epitome of Riviera charm, a
gentle way of life and luxury that has an exceptionally
mild and sunny climate, blue sea and azure skies. Nice
is a thriving tourist city, sought after all year round
by lovers of the French Riviera. The Promenade des Anglais
is a world-famous attraction, which is the pride of the
city of Nice.

The
Promenade des Anglais is synonymous with prestige and
stylish living. Graced by majestic palm trees, hotels,
Casinos and famous restaurants, a pedestrian area, long
stretches of beaches, pergolas and sky blue chairs, the
Promenade des Anglais is a prominent feature along the
Baie des Anges and almost a microcosm in its own right!
"A feast for the eyes, Nice - where Queen Victoria
was amused, Matisse painted his Blue Nudes and Coco Chanel
invented the suntan.

It
is marvelous to escape from dreary winter in northern
European into its sharp light and balmy Mediterranean
air: to wander round the harbour, through the flower market
in the ornate Cours Saleya, or into the bar of the Hotel
Negresco for a cocktail as exotic as the building itself.
Home of one of the biggest summer jazz festivals, off-season
Nice also offers cool sounds in many a late-night cafe-bar.
In winter you are only 40 minutes drive from the Alpine
ski slopes and another world and only a short drive from
Monaco and Italy.

The
Nice Riviera Tourist Pass has been introduced and is ideal
for those spending a few days in the city. The pass allows
visitors to make the most of unlimited usage of the city's
"Grand Tour" double decker buses and free entrance to
attractions like the Monaco exotic gardens, the Russian
Cathedral and museums including the Marc Chagall museum.
There are also price reductions at selected restaurants
and shops. You can have the choice of purchasing a one
day, two day or three day pass. More information at the
Tourist
office website

What
to see:

Nice
offers everything you could wish for in a holiday destination
- history, spectacular scenery, architecture and a buzzing
nightlife, not forgetting plenty of sun and sea. The 4000-year-old
city has many historical sights to see. Visit the Old
Town, which dates back to medieval times or La colline
du chateau
dating back to the eleventh century.
The old town contains within
its narrow alleyways, the expanses of its squares and
the Cours Saleya over 250 restaurants, 200 boutiques and
galleries. Other excellent places for sightseeing include
the Basilique Notre-Dame - the largest church in Nice,
built in 1864. Other sightseeing hotspots include La Cathedrale
Saint-Reparate, built in the seventeenth century, and
the 16th century L'Ancien Hotel de Ville, formerly Nice's
town hall. Climb (or take the lift) up to the castle and
enjoy panoramic views over the Baie des Anges and visit
the two cemeteries lying side by side the Christian and
neighbouring Jewish cemetery.

Nice
benefits from a superb climate. Thanks to sea breezes the
climate is mild even in winter and never too hot in summer.
Inhabitants often have lunch in a T-shirt in the middle
of February while the rest of France is shivering in the
cold. Also known as the 'Bay of Arts', Nice has three theatres,
an opera house,
a symphony orchestra and many museums and art galleries.
Visit the Musee et Site Archeologiques with its magnificent
collections from the Bronze Age to the late middle ages.
Be sure to explore the Bibliotheque du Chevalier de Cessole,
with its many old books and manuscripts tracing the history
of the city. Nice has always held on to its independence
and even has its own language. The people of Nice like to
keep their individuality intact with their own folk-dancing
troupes, street bands and craftwork. Theatre is also a very
important part of the town's culture and The Opera de Nice
is well worth a visit.

If
you are looking for art, then Nice is the place to visit.
The old town, especially Rue Droite, houses numerous artists'
studios, framing shops and galleries. The Museum of Modern
Art (MAMAC) on the Promenade des Arts hosts’ regular seasonal
shows as well as its own collection of contemporary European
and American works. Chagall was a long time Riviera resident
and the purpose built Musée National Message Biblique Marc-Chagall
en route to Cimiez shows a spectacular collection of his
paintings, stained
glass mosaics and sketches. In Cimiez itself is the Musée
Matisse set in a renovated 17th century villa which houses
not only a collection of his work but also holds excellent
temporary shows. Simply walking the streets of Nice and
exploring the antique markets is a great

Shopping

If
you enjoy strolling around the shops then you are in the
right place; Nice offers excellent variety. Choose from
small boutiques in the Old Town specialising in provencal
fabrics, jewellery shops on Avenue de Verdun and Rue Paradis
with its up-market shopping arcades, department stores and
chic couturiers. There
are also many markets, including the Marche a la Brocante
- a flea market open all-year-round and the Marche aux Poissons
- a fish market open every morning except Monday and the
flower market a stones throw from the so close to the Promenade
des Anglais.

Nice
by night

Nice
is lively by day and even more lively by night. You are
spoilt for choice when it comes to discos, nightclubs, casinos
and restaurants. And you could, if you prefer, go to a karaoke
club or one of the many cabaret clubs, which are equally
delightful. You can even choose to do some late-night shopping,
as there are many shops that stay open 24 hours a day. You
can dine out in the old town in the area that is the flower
market by day and is transformed into a magical dining area
by night.

In late July each year the

Nice
Jazz Festivalis held in the
Jardin & Arenés. It normally starts just as the

Nice
Carnival Le Carnaval de Nice

History

From
the time of the Second Empire to the roaring Twenties the
famous Promenade des Anglais was the fashionable meeting
place where luxury hotels and palaces flourished and high
society strolled along the promenade in the warm Riviera
sunshine enjoying the sea views. In 1929 Le Palais de la
Mediterranee and the sumptuous decor of its lounges and
Casino attracted a clientele of rich men and elegant women
who enjoyed its magnificence and the pleasures of life.
Princes, barons and other aristocrats enjoyed a heady lifestyle
at the height of the Belle Époque. Nice is just as popular
today and after a period of disuse Le Palais de la Mediterranee
has been rebuilt and restored to its former glory - as beautiful
and luxurious as before. The 1929 facade has already been
restored and now visitors to Nice can enjoy the jewel of
the Promenade des Anglais with its host of events, quality
of life and magical atmosphere that reigned in the Palace
so close to their hearts.